


Chasing Fairies, a skip beat! fanfic | FanFiction

by Kaname671



Category: Skip Beat!
Genre: F/M, Fate, First Dates, First Kiss, Kyoko/Ren Week, Kyoko/Ren Week 2019, Love Confessions, Treasure Hunting, With A Twist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-07-25 15:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20028148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaname671/pseuds/Kaname671
Summary: This is in tribute to RenKyo week 2019. Ren invites Kyoko on his holiday at the last minute. Truths will be revealed. Future Canon with a twist.  Fluffy-ish and T-rated





	1. Fall: Come with Me?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to get the hang of AO3 using this short fic. I'm cross posting from FF.net when I have time. The completed story is on there as well but this version may be cleaner since I posted on FF on the fly. Thank you in advance for reading, I hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Super Manager Yashiro would know exactly what LoveMe job Kyoko had at TBM ;)**

Kyoko and Yashiro walked down the hall of TBM after filming Yappa Kimagure Rock. She had confided in Yashiro, as her manager, with her role as Bo. She had Yashiro swear to all that was holy, in practically every religion, to keep her secret. She elicited a promise from him, with the help of her little grudges, for him to commit seppuku if he ever told Ren. Yashiro's inner fangirl screamed when he found out this new information. He wasted no time in trying to have Ren meet with Bo whenever his schedule allowed it. If only Ren knew that his chicken friend was indeed the woman he loved.

"So have you told Ren yet?" Yashiro asked. It was the same old conversation they had after every taping. Kyoko gave him the same dry look every time in response and nothing more.

"I'm sure if you apologize properly he will forgive you anything. He wouldn't want to lose you to something so minor," Yashiro persisted.

"It's not that simple. I'm literally too 'chicken' to tell him," Kyoko said putting her hand over the dull ache in her heart. She was getting used to Yashiro's cryptic remarks. He often implied that Ren cared for her as more than a kohai. Kyoko knew not to assume too much, even though, Ren had been more outspoken to Bo lately. She just wanted him to be happy. She had resigned herself to continue to love him in secret.

"I just think you would feel less stressed if you told him. Studies show that the longer you keep things a secret the harder it would be to come clean." He saw the results of Ren's not so accidental run-ins with Bo. Ren would walk away lighter while Kyoko, on the other hand, couldn't make up her mind whether she was happy or troubled by the exchange. Neither of his charges would divulge what they discussed with each other in that setting. "Ah, speak of the devil himself," Yashiro said waving to the tall actor approaching them.

Kyoko did her best to control her heart. She had roughly twenty Ren steps to get her act together before they confronted him. He looked good. She loved it when he dressed casually. He was wearing a white v-neck t-shirt with a pair of slim jeans and some black and white checkered slip-on sneakers. It wasn't her imagination but he was starting to dress more like his age and less like a night club host. He still donned the suit and professional attire depending on the job but she liked him best looking comfortable.

"Ren! Did your work finish early?" Yashiro greeted. He watched both his charges' expressions change to pure bliss as they greeted each other. He snickered to himself.

"Yes, I just finished up in studio C. Are you all done here as well?" Ren replied smoothly. Kyoko nodded. Ren had hoped to see his chicken friend to kill time until Kyoko finished work but thoughts of Bo were pushed to the wayside now that she was here.

"That's great, I just remembered something I have to do in the office before I leave for holiday so do you mind taking Kyoko-chan home," Yashiro asked eagerly.

"Sure, that won't be a problem," he replied without hesitation. He hoped his enthusiasm wasn't too obvious. It was his intention to run into her one last time before he departed the city.

"Thank you, enjoy your breaks. I'll see you both in a few days," Yashiro said making himself disappear. They were going in the same direction to the parking lot but it was obvious Yashiro was trying to give them privacy. He often did that and scolded Ren for not taking advantage of the opportunities he made for him.

"How was wor-", "Thank yo-", they both began in unison.

"You first Mogami-san," Ren said urging her to speak.

"I just wanted to thank you for the ride," she told him. She was getting better at accepting his kindness towards her and also better at not holding it against him if she read more into it.

...

On the drive to the Darumaya, a work van had run a red traffic light causing Ren to stop short to avoid it. He didn't freeze up like he did on the Dark Moon set but it had triggered something in him to act.

"Won't you come with me, Mogami-san?" Ren asked her in his soft alluring voice before she stepped out of his car.

Kyoko felt her heart lurch. _Me?_ He wanted her to come with him on his trip. Her heart screamed _Yes!_ but her mind felt like she was suffering from deja vu. The last time a guy she loved asked her, in particular, to come with him she was regulated to nothing more than a servant. She knew Ren didn't need any of those things from her so what exactly were Ren's motives for wanting her to come along? Why not ask the girl he loved? It was in his words and his actions that had her briefly entertain the idea that maybe, just maybe, she could possibly be that girl. He never said anything straight forward and she never asked. She learned from her experience with Sho not to get ahead of herself.

Ren had no clue what compelled him to ask her. Okay, he knew exactly why he asked her. The near accident had him thinking about the past and how short life was. He didn't want to part from her. They were finally at a decent place in their "friendship" again after all their misunderstandings had been cleared up. There was no relationship between him, Kana or Kimiko, and she would never feel any romantic love for Shotaro again.

Since Kanae had been whisked off to America for months, Kyoko had been spending more time with Ren since they shared Yashiro as a manager. It wasn't uncommon now to see the Senpai and Kohai together. The public had already accepted them even if they were both tied to their work.

"Are you two dating?" had been a common question asked of them on any of their separate interviews or on set. A flat out "no" was never given. Ren couldn't say it. He wished with all his heart that he could just say _yes!_ First, he had to work up the courage to tell her the truth. What they had right now was good. He didn't want to go messing up their relationship if he misread her feelings.

In her interviews, he had expected her to flat out tell the hosts "no," and follow it up with a self-esteem crusher. It pained him whenever she told Japan what a "god" he was and how a lowly mortal like herself couldn't possibly breathe the same air as him. Those answers had stopped once they were both "open" and "honest" as they could be with each other. They still kept their respective secrets.

Yashiro was over the moon with the progress of their non-relationship. In his mind, they were practically a couple. Kyoko often cooked Ren dinner at his place. They spent time running scripts together. If one or the other wasn't busy, they accompanied Yashiro to the other's projects to observe their work. Yes, to Yashiro they were dating, at a snail's pace, they just had yet to admit it for what it was.

Now, Ren saw the apprehension on her face. She bit her bottom lip unsure of how to respond. He didn't like that he made her feel uncomfortable. He was ready to play off his question offering her an easy way to let him down.

Kyoko looked up to see Ren's crestfallen face, the same face he showed Bo when things didn't go well with the woman he loved. _Ba-bump_. Her heart thumped as she realized it was her hesitation now that gave him that look. She didn't like that she had caused him pain. She had to remind herself that Ren was nothing like Shotaro and was a true gentleman. She ignored the fact that she often caught the Emperor of the Night staring at her when they were alone, chalking it up to her imagination.

It was as if something had taken over her body. Kyoko found the words tumbling out of her mouth. "I've heard Hokkaido is beautiful in the fall. If you're ok with someone like me tagging along, I'll be honored to join you."

Ren's face lit up like a kid on Christmas day, obliterating what little of her grudges remained. Never in a million years would he have thought she would agree to come with him. His mind raced through his itinerary full of hermit-like activities. They now included her right there beside him. The solo conversations he imagined having now had her responding to his questions. It was too good to be true.

"You'll really come with me?" He said in a giddy tone. Kyoko nodded shyly in reply. His excitement was contagious. She hoped she wasn't making a big mistake. She would try to act as "natural" with him as she did when playing Setsu with Cain. It was only for a few days, she could survive this trip.

"When do we leave?" She asked reaching for the door handle.

"Give me tonight to make the arrangements. I'll pick you up in the morning! Is that ok?" Ren asked. He was worried that by tomorrow she would have come to her senses and changed her mind.

Kyoko nodded, this would allow her to pack. "What should I pack? I don't know what you were planning."

"All you have to do is pack warm clothes for several days and some sturdy yet comfortable shoes. We're going fairy hunting!"

It was Kyoko's turn for her face to light up. She didn't care if he was making fun of her. This had to mean they would be outdoors, maybe hiking through the woods. She recalled the time they met in the woods in Karuizawa, for a second there, as the sun shone down on him, she thought she saw Corn.

"Anything else I should do to prepare?" She asked excitedly. He should have just started there and she would have been on board in an instant.

"I have it all covered," he told her with a soft chuckle. He was relieved by her excitement.

"But what about the cost? I need to give you some money!" She said tugging at her bag. He laid his hand over hers as she pulled out her wallet.

"Please don't insult me Mogami-san! I invited you; therefore, you owe me nothing." There it was, that warm smile that made her heartbeat just a little bit quicker.

"But I ca-" she began but Ren quieted her by pressing his index finger to her lips. The move was so intimate Kyoko froze her eyes crossing looking at his finger.

Realizing what he just did he pulled his hand away. "Sorry...Can you please just leave everything to me? I promise having you come along won't cost anything extra!" Kyoko nodded shyly. She trusted him.

"Now go inside and pack. I'll see you at six on the dot!"


	2. Play:Faerie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would be a mind reader...but then we wouldn't have such a great story.**

Kyoko had just put the lids on their bentos when the soft knock on the back door came. She had tossed and turned all night thinking about this trip. Giving up on sleep, she had rolled out of bed early to make them some food. Her heart now threatened to beat out of her chest as she walked towards the door. Before opening it, she took a deep breath. _Act naturally Kyoko. _She released her breath and pulled open the door.

She dropped into a bow and greeted Ren good morning. He looked as tired as she probably did. Perhaps he had been up late trying to include her in on the trip. Little did she know, Ren was unable to fall asleep thinking Kyoko would change her mind at any second.

"Good morning, Mogami-san." Ren returned her greeting and took in her attire. She was wearing a dark pair of skinny jeans, a yellow plaid long sleeve shirt, an army green utility jacket and a wool scarf draped over her neck. He looked down at her feet. She had on a pair of dark brown trekking boots. He nodded in approval.

"Do you have a beanie? Gloves? A thicker jacket packed?" He asked making sure she would not be too cold. He had packed some extra clothes in case she needed them.

"Yes! I looked up the weather and packed appropriately," Kyoko assured him gesturing towards her small bag behind her.

"Are your landlords awake?" He asked wanting to greet them.

"Yes, Taisho and Okami-san are in the kitchen through here." Ren followed Kyoko through the storage room and into the Darumaya's kitchen.

"Good morning Taisho, Okami-san," Ren said with a very formal bow to Kyoko's pseudo parents. Taisho halted mid-chop and stared at the young man. Okami smiled and bowed politely.

"I wanted to greet you and tell you I will take great care of Mogami-san. This is the address and phone number of my contact in case our cellphones are unusable. I've also included my personal cell number."

"That's very thoughtful Tsuruga-kun, you two kids enjoy yourselves. Heaven knows you both deserve a little break." Okami-san told them. They said their goodbyes and headed out.

Kyoko had assumed they were taking the train but found Ren heading for the airport. Ren handed the flight attendant their tickets using his driver's license and her school ID. A valid ID was all that was required when flying in-country so he could easily travel as Tsuruga Ren.

The flight attendant practically swooned when he asked her for her discretion pulling his ball cap lower over his head. Kyoko followed Ren on to the plane as he bypassed all the first-class seats and walked back to the rear of the aircraft. He gestured to the seats in the very last row. The very lucky seats that sat directly across the dreaded lavatory.

"Mogami-san, you're holding up the line," Ren said bringing her attention to the impatient passengers behind her. She had stopped several rows short and was now blocking those passengers from their seats. She apologized and hastily sat in the window seat. Ren put their small bags in the overhead bin and took his seat. Kyoko watched, horrified, while he tried to fold himself into the tiny little space of economy class. He stubbornly tried not to invade her space until Kyoko grabbed his knee and pushed his leg under the seat in front of her. His other leg hung out over the aisle.

"Thank you, Mogami-san! I never knew how cramped it was back here," Ren said apologetically. _Ahh! __His face is way too close!_

She giggled nervously, spoken like a typical rich boy who never in his life had to experience the joy of flying by economy class. Kyoko's only other flight was her trip to Guam. Being petite in stature, economy was actually quite comfortable for her.

"Did you ever fly as a child?" Kyoko asked him curiously.

"Yes, my parents often went on business trips so I was a frequent flyer before I turned a year old." Kyoko mulled over his words. So he had always flown first class even as a child.

"Why are you sitting back here anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious? Because I want to sit with you," he told her simply. _Doki Doki._ An invisible cupid's arrow shot straight through her heart.

"Ehhhhhh!" Kyoko exclaimed covering up her blushing cheeks with her palms.

"I promised you this trip wouldn't cost anything extra."

"Are you telling me that you traded in your first-class ticket for me to come along?"

Ren nodded and flashed her one of his gorgeous smiles. Kyoko groaned. _Well, he did keep his promise_. This was sure to be a long flight.

...

At their destination, Kyoko held her shoulder bag while Ren took charge of the other bags. She had survived the flight by burying her nose in one of her school books. Ren took the hint and let her be. She nearly screamed when he pulled out the sheep pillow she had bought him for his birthday from his bag pack and fell asleep comfortably. She tried to concentrate on her school work but not before stealing a selfie with him while he slept. This time the shutter sound of her phone camera was drowned out by the engine noise.

Halfway through the flight, Kyoko noticed signs that Ren was having one of his nightmares. Sweat beaded on his brow and he moaned in his sleep. It seemed that holding his hand was enough to calm him down. He gripped her hand like she was his lifeline. She held his hand for the remainder of the time he slept. She wondered if he would ever trust her enough to tell her what haunted him in his sleep.

She unwrapped her scarf since the weather was pleasant, not too warm and not too cool. It was perfect for any outdoor activities he had planned. Kyoko stood off to the side as Ren approached the man holding a sign bearing his first name. After a brief exchange, the man handed Ren some keys and walked away. Ren signaled for her to follow him.

They walked through the parking lot until they came upon a sleek silver four-wheeled drive SUV. Ren clicked the key fob which made the back hatch open up. The back was filled with supplies. Groceries, pots, blankets, coolers, water, and more were back there. Ren pushed some stuff aside and placed their cases in the back. Kyoko didn't question the items she saw. Perhaps, they were staying in a place with a kitchen. She didn't mind cooking for them. It would be a lot cheaper than eating out for the next few days.

They made small talk while Ren drove. After an hour the scenery had changed from the city to a more rural setting. Some time on the drive, Kyoko had fallen asleep. She couldn't sleep a wink sitting so closely to Ren during the flight, let alone while holding his hand. She was jolted awake when Ren hit a rut in the road. 

"I'm sorry sleeping beauty. I tried to drive as careful as possible but there was no missing that hole," he teased her with an apologetic grin. Kyoko grumbled a reply wiping the drool from her face.

Her heart was still pounding. They were on a dirt road driving through the woods. She looked to the front and rear of the vehicle. They were alone on the road. She must have just dreamed the sound of screeching tires. She finally took in the scenery. The road they were on was nestled between beautiful, magical, fairy woods with hues of red, orange and gold. Beyond the treeline, the mountain loomed. They were completely off-grid.

"Is this the part where you finally murder me?" Kyoko asked apprehensively rubbing a hand over her face.

"What?! No! God no!" Ren said appalled by her morbid thoughts. _Did she think he was a monster because of BJ? _He chanced a glance over to her and caught her teasing smirk. "We're almost to the spot."

Kyoko sat up straighter in her seat. They would probably be staying in a cabin in the woods. Her excitement outweighed her nervousness at being alone with him in such a secluded spot for three days. She could just imagine the small structure nestled in the woods surrounded by the large colorful trees with the mountain providing the perfect backdrop. It would be a spot frequented by woodland creatures just like in Sleeping Beauty. She blinked several times when the vehicle came to a stop.

"We're here!" Ren said excitedly stepping out of the SUV and stretching. Kyoko reluctantly stepped out. No matter how hard she squinted or scanned the trees she couldn't make out any kind of a habitable dwelling. She walked towards the back of the car where Ren was packing his bag with supplies. _Oh, w__e're just starting the hike! _Kyoko felt stupid for thinking that was their final destination. Of course, he planned to begin right away. They didn't have much time. She pulled out the canvas backpack she had packed. Ren handed her two bottles of water, some trail mix, and a couple of meal replacement bars. He could feel her stare bore into him as she took the bars from him. She cleared her throat.

"I thought you might like a snack before we have lunch," he told her with a lopsided grin. It was still too early for lunch. They had eaten her bentos on the plane before landing so their bellies were full. The lecture she was prepared to give him left her with his explanation.

"Are you trying to tell me that it was not your intention to survive out here on granola bars alone?"

"I'd be lying if I told you the thought didn't cross my mind. See aren't you glad you came?" he said flashing her his perfect white teeth. There was that smile again. Ren pulled out a map and a compass to get his bearings. He folded the map and stuffed it in the side pocket of his pack.

"Come on! Let's explore!" he told her reaching for her hand. He held her hand while they walked a small path that was wide enough for two people. Knowing her tenacity to get caught up in her fantasies, he insisted that the terrain was unpredictable and didn't want her to fall or get lost.

Every time Kyoko tried to tug her hand free, his grip would tighten. She eventually gave up and found herself holding his hand in return. It was a good thing he held on to her, otherwise, she would have been pulled off the trail and lost by now. Every sound she heard was a siren's song beckoning her to investigate it.

Kyoko had no idea Ren was such a nature buff. He pointed out the various birds they came across. She was amazed at Ren's ability to identify birds just from their feathers and their chirping. He could even imitate a few of them with his whistle. She could have sworn the birds were answering him in return. _He's just like Cinderella!_ It wouldn't have surprised her if he came from royalty.

Ren encouraged Kyoko to try. She pursed her lips just as he instructed and blew. The only sound she managed was a pitiful loud blow of breath. Ren laughed while she pouted. She was too cute.

"I'm sure if you keep at it, you'll be singing to the birds just like Cinderella before this trip is over," Ren assured her.

Kyoko whipped her head up to meet his eyes. _Mind Reader!_

He chuckled at the look she gave him. "No, not a mind reader. I know you well enough to understand what you're thinking at times like these," Ren said stopping in his tracks. _Jedi! _She thought. He released her hand once they came to a fork in the path. He pulled out his map again which she now realized had red markings and writing throughout. Did she read his English writing correctly? _Did it say_ _**Faerie** as in the land of fairies_?

He put the map away and held out his hand again for her. This time Kyoko didn't hesitate and placed her hand in his. As they walked, Kyoko could now hear the steady sound of water flowing. It could only mean there was a stream or river near. They broke through the trees and entered a glade in the forest with a river at the end. What they saw took their breath away. The small river bank was lined with trees of vibrant hues as far as the eye could see. The colors of the foliage were gorgeous. Kyoko's eyes glossed over as she entered La La land.

"Let's take some pictures!" He told her pulling out a small digital camera. Kyoko readily agreed. It would be beautiful to capture some memories of this magical place. Ren dropped his pack to the ground and started taking pictures of the landscape. Kyoko skipped around the area hoping to catch a glimpse of a nymph or a fairy. She didn't notice that Ren had started taking pictures of her. To him, she was the most beautiful thing in this forest.

"Mogami-san!" Ren called out. Kyoko looked over her shoulder. Ren snapped a perfectly timed picture. To his surprise, she didn't scold him to delete it. She turned her body and instead struck a typical pose, peace sign included. They continued like that for several shots before Kyoko told him to stop.

"I'll take some of you now Tsuraga-san," she said bounding up to him with glee. He handed her the camera. He was not going to miss a chance for her to keep all eyes on him. He stood by the river while she took his picture with the trees in the background. He squatted down by the water and looked her way. Kyoko's heart accelerated as she took his pictures. He looked like an ad for an outdoor cover of GQ Fall edition. Then he started goofing off. He reached into the flowing river and ran his hand through the water splashing her.

Kyoko was shocked! The water was freezing. Laughing, he splashed her again. She squealed and attempted to splash him back but he was too quick for her. He took off running down the river bank. Kyoko pocketed the camera and wasted no time chasing after him. Their laughter disturbed the peace of the forest. Every time she got closer to him, he would turn around and kick some water in her direction. Their play reminded her of when she was a child. Of a time that she spent with a golden-haired boy in a place much like this river in Kyoto and then later as a man in Guam. _Corn, what are you doing now? _She was pulled from her thoughts as she heard more splashing. Ren had spotted a shallow spot in the river and began to cross over. The path they needed to take was on the other side.

"Wait! What about our bags?" She stopped and called after him. Why was she being the sensible one at a time like this? She was shocked to see this side of her Senpai. Is this what he was like when the pressure of the world wasn't watching his every move? She knew he could be childish sometimes but she never saw him this carefree.

Ren came running back to her. Without slowing down, he threw her over his shoulder. "They'll be there when we get back...I hope."

Kyoko cried for him to put her down but he refused. She tried to remain indifferent to how close she was to Ren in this position. _I am a sack of rice! He is carrying a sack of rice! I do not feel his shoulder and back muscles pressed against me because I am an inanimate object. I feel nothing. _She started to laugh since his movements were tickling her side. To Kyoko's relief, he put her down once they reached the trail. He didn't even wait for her to regain her balance before tugging her along. He slowed when the terrain became rougher.

Kyoko could see a break in the dense forest. When they came through the trees, Kyoko knew she had stepped into the area of his map marked **_Faerie_**, fairyland. Almost every inch, save for the middle, of this glade, was covered in various shades of pink blossoms. Her eyes watered at the sheer beauty of it all. Ren tugged on her hand but she tugged back refusing to take another step. There was no way she would trudge on this sanctuary.

He understood her hesitation. He put his arms under her knees and lifted her like a princess. She tried to protest but it was futile. He took a step carefully through the blossoms. Kyoko stopped squirming once she realized what he was doing. He was stepping where the ground was bare careful not to damage any of the flowers. She shrieked with delight when hundreds of butterflies fluttered away at their approach. Kyoko held her breath as he came to one particular spot that offered no clear space to step. Just a few feet in front of them lay a small clearing in the middle, big enough for two to lay in.

"Hold on to me," Ren whispered. Kyoko tightened her hold around his neck. She tried to ignore how good he smelled right now, woodsy with a hint of sweat. He tightened his grip on her, bent his knees and jumped the remaining feet. He stumbled a bit but regained his footing.

"You did it!" She shouted and absentmindedly hugged him tighter. He laughed and twirled her in the middle of the flowers. Kyoko was giddy with excitement their laughter mixed with the natural surroundings. Swirls of pink, green, red, blue, gold streaked through her vision until she was thoroughly dizzy. Ren fell to the ground with her on top of him. He laid on the ground hoping everything would stop spinning soon. Kyoko rolled off of him and laid beside him. She looked over at him with his eyes closed. A bubble of laughter escaped her. He looked miserable at the moment. _He did this for me._ She couldn't help the love that threatened to overflow within her.

Eyes still closed he started laughing with her. When her laughter died down, he turned to look in her direction. She averted her gaze and stared up at the sky. _Oh no, this is bad! __I can't contain my feelings anymore! _This place probably had some magical pull that made people want to divulge the truths in their hearts. She felt she needed to tell him so he could stop doing things that made her overwhelmingly happy. Her eyes watered and a single tear slid down her temple. What she was about to ask could change everything and ruin the rest of this trip. Come what may, she owed it to herself before she fell to deep.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ren asked bewildered watching the tear slide down her face. He thought she was enjoying herself.

"It's nothing...it's just, thank you for bringing me here. This place is beautiful but I'm afraid I can't continue like this?" she said turning towards him. Her golden eyes were full of unshed tears. He could see it now staring at him full force in the face. She was in love with him and very scared.

"What do you mean, Mogami-san?" he asked his voice thick with emotion. Was she going to end things before she could even give them a chance?

"I'll misunderstand...Your kindness..." she said her voice trailing off. She gulped. "Why are you doing all this? What exactly am I to you Tsuruga-san?" she whispered closing her eyes as if that would help her from hearing the truth.

Ren stared at her profile for a few heartbeats. She was giving him an opening. He needed to quit being a coward and take the leap. "You're everything to me, Kyoko-chan," came his soft and honest reply. She stopped breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi, the prompt for today was Play so I wanted them to have a little fun but it got a bit serious there XD. I hope you enjoyed!


	3. Eat: Itadakimasu!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would have a chance to impress Kyoko with his wilderness survival skills!**

_She's flatlining! We can't lose her! Start chest compressions! Bring the defibrillator cart over here, stat! Charge at 200!...charged! Everyone clear! *PULSE*_

Kyoko knew she needed to breathe. She had heard him correctly, didn't she? It wasn't her mind playing cruel tricks on her, was it? With her eyes closed, she almost believed that Corn was the one lying beside her when he called her name.

She felt Ren's large warm handclasp her cold and clammy one. He laced his fingers with hers. His warmth slowly seeped throughout her body. Her heartbeat steadied and she started to breathe normally again.

She wasn't imagining things. His hand was real and solid and holding hers. Even if it was a dream, she would enjoy this time they had together. She would suffer the consequences of it all later, if, or when she woke up. She opened her eyes and looked at him. His deep chocolate brown eyes bore into hers with a mixture of apprehension and tenderness. It finally dawned on her, that he too, was treading uncharted territory and probably feeling just as vulnerable.

He had managed to dash away all the uncertainty she had been feeling with his genuine reply. Her cheeks burned red but she smiled broadly at him. The fear he saw earlier in her eyes had vanished. He smiled back and waited for her to speak.

"Am I dreaming?" she whispered with a smile that could rival the sun. She couldn't contain her happiness.

"If you are dreaming, I hope you never wake up because I want to always be with you," he responded with a dazzling smile of his own that threatened to take her breath away yet again. She nodded shyly. With every blush and every smile, Ren knew he didn't need her to vocalize her feelings right now. Her actions spoke louder than words.

A butterfly nearby caught her attention. "How did you find this place?" she asked still holding on to his hand but sitting up. She released his hand to pull out the camera and snap a picture of the butterfly resting on a pink flower. Ren leaned over and held his finger out. Kyoko watched in amazement as the butterfly fluttered to his hand.

"Here, hold out your hand," he whispered. Kyoko held her hand out near his but to her dismay, the butterfly took flight instead.

"Do you want to try again? There's one on this side." Kyoko scrambled to his side of the clearing. She held out her hand. Ren gently guided her hand towards the butterfly.

"The trick is to move very slowly and let it come to you," he whispered again to not scare it away. His face was so close to hers his breath tickled her cheek. Her heart sped up at his closeness. She tried to contain her delight when the butterfly settled itself on her finger. She turned towards him triumphantly. He reached for the camera and took her picture.

While she occupied herself with the butterflies, Ren began gathering flowers to construct a crown since the last flower ring was a disaster. He made sure to pull the flowers the way his father had taught him in hopes they would be able to bloom again next year. He never made a crown before. He only ever saw his dad make a flower ring for his mother. He figured he could use the same concept but make it larger. Kyoko watched him curiously. Ren explained the process of construction and assured her the flowers would grow back next year, _maybe_. She blushed, remembering how horrible she acted when he put the flower ring on her finger. She never did apologize for that time specifically. When he was done tweaking stems and threading flowers, he held it up to her.

"Your tiara my, Princess!" he said with a grand gesture of his hand. Kyoko giggled and stood. She swept into a low curtsy sweeping her imaginary ball gown out. Ren knelt before her and placed it on her head. It fit perfectly. He lowered his head and kissed the back of her hand.

"May I have this dance, your highness?" he asked not letting go of her hand.

"But there's no music," she countered nervously.

"Nature will be our symphony," he told her and stood from his position. He placed her hand on his shoulder and gripped her other palm in one hand. He placed his other hand on her hip and pulled her closer. Kyoko squeaked and held her body rigidly. Eventually, she relaxed and leaned her cheek against his chest. They swayed in the small clearing letting the sounds of the birds chirping and trees rustling in the wind wash over them. It felt nice.

With her head against Ren, she could hear the gurgling sounds of his stomach. She tilted her head up to look at him. He looked straight ahead refusing to meet her gaze a slight blush settling on his high cheekbones.

"A- are you actually hungry?" she asked, her eyes wide in astonishment. This was her first time experiencing such a phenomenon.

"Shhhh," he said pushing her head back against him. "You know that's not likely. I'm still digesting breakfast." Kyoko began to giggle. She was now dancing to the song playing in his stomach. Ren sighed. The magical moment was lost because of his stupid digestive tract.

"Do you want to head back?" he asked pulling away from her. She shook her head no and moved out of his arms. She laid down in the clearing careful not to ruin her crown.

"This place is beautiful. You never did tell me how you found it," she spoke lifting her hand for him to join her. He laid down beside her, heads touching as he told her the story. He had seen the place in a nature magazine during one of his jobs. The man at the airport was the owner of the land. He helped Ren organize all the supplies and points of interest.

When that discussion ended, Ren began pointing out shapes in the clouds. He swore the cloud to their left looked like a giant hamburger. Kyoko looked at him thoughtfully. This was a game she remembered playing with Corn as a little girl. When she didn't readily participate he pointed out another set that he thought resembled jumping carp. Kyoko squinted her eyes and scanned the sky. She pointed at a cloud that resembled the head of a rooster, cock's comb and wattle included. A bird flew overhead interrupting the game. Ren wasted no time telling her what he knew about the bird.

"Aside from that time in the woods in Karuizawa, I never really pegged you like the outdoorsy type," she admitted to him still staring into the clouds.

"I've always loved nature and the outdoors. My father used to take me camping a lot when I was a child. It was his way of disconnecting from the world and focusing on his family. That was before I turned 10. Eventually, he didn't have much time for me after that," Ren told her sitting up. He stood up and held his hands down to her.

"Come on let's head back. Do you want to try fishing? I have a pole in the car." Kyoko nodded eagerly and placed her hands in his. He seemed to be trying his best to let her into his private life but there were still some sore subjects that would take time to divulge. They retraced his steps slowly through the field of flowers careful not to squish any of them.

**…**

Back at the clearing, Kyoko took off her shoes and rolled up her jeans while Ren assembled the fishing pole. He had just informed her that they were catching their lunch. Kyoko surveyed the supplies he had brought with him. They could have fresh veggies and fish, if they were lucky, for lunch. She picked up the small pot and a couple of cans of... _beans?_ She found two sets of plates, chopsticks, and spoons_. _This was going to be an interesting meal. She perched on a flat rock and began expertly peeling the veggies with the single utility knife he provided.

She watched Ren cast the line into the river, testing out the rod. He did it fluidly with an expert flick of the wrist and reeled it back in. He waved her over. Kyoko placed the plate of veggies she was working on and walked over to him.

He placed the rod in her hands and put his arms around her from behind. He showed her the proper way to hold the pole and the wrist movement he had used earlier. On her first attempt, she flung the line too far back that she managed to hit Ren with lure but luckily it didn't hook him. Kyoko bowed profusely in apology. She grumbled when Ren stood an exaggerated amount of space behind her on her second attempt. The lure found its way into the middle of the river making Kyoko cry out in victory.

"Now what do I do?" she asked turning to Ren.

"Now you just stand there and wait for a fish to bite. When you feel something tugging crank the handle and reel the line back in," he instructed. She nodded concentrating on her line. It sounded simple enough.

Ren left her to get a fire going. He found sturdy rocks to make a makeshift barrier for the campfire. He went scouring the nearby woods for some logs, dry twigs, and grass for kindling. When he had what he needed, he made a small nest of the dry grass for kindling. He dug in his pockets to retrieve his flint and swiss army knife. He scraped some flint over the grass and then struck the opposite side of the flint to get a fire started. Once he had a small blaze going he slowly added wood feeding the fire until he had a decent flame. He could hear Kyoko screeching that she caught one. She reeled in her catch successfully by the time Ren joined her.

She had nabbed a good size trout that was more than enough for both of them. Ren used the clippers setting on his swiss army knife to cut the line off the fish. As soon as the line was cut the fish made one last-ditch effort of survival and tried to wiggle out of Ren's hands. It was comical watching the normally suave man try to catch the fish while it danced in the air. Kyoko couldn't help but laugh at his appearance while he clutched the flapping fish against his chest. His shirt was soaked and his hair was a mess. He blew his hair out of his face several times before he looked at a laughing Kyoko for a little help. She gladly reached up and brushed the silky strands of hair out of his eyes. He closed his eyes enjoying the feel of her fingers running through his hair. Kyoko pulled her hand back with a blush. Ren thanked her with a teasing smirk. Confident that the fish was finally dead, he switched the knife to the pliers setting to pull the hook out of its mouth.

"Ugh, you wouldn't happen to know how to clean a fish would you," Ren asked her sheepishly.

What kind of insulting question was that? Of course, she knew how to clean a fish. Kyoko looked at him incredulously. "You know how to fish but you don't know how to actually clean a fish?"

Ren gave her that annoying shrug that always raised her hackles. "I never eat them. I usually just release them once I've caught them." Kyoko sighed in dismay.

She walked back to their supplies and picked up the knife she was using along with a cutting board. She returned to where Ren stood and took the fish from him. With an expert hand, she quickly descaled and gutted the fish. She used the water from the river to clean it out. She stopped what she was doing and looked up at him watching over her shoulder. "So how did you plan on cooking it, let alone eating it?"

"I saw it in an anime. They just put the fish on a stick and put it over the fire. **_Voila_** once it's charred it's ready to eat," He told her his expression completely serious.

"I can't believe you take your cooking lessons from a cartoon," Kyoko grumbled as she stomped back to their site. She didn't see any spices among the supplies so the fish would be bland. She held up the pan he brought. She had no oil or butter. If she put the fish in the pan, it would get stuck and ruined. She groaned not believing what she was about to do. She found a good size stick and sharpened one end. She pierced the fish and made a makeshift stand to hold the stick over the fire. Once she was satisfied the fish wouldn't fall into the flame, she washed her knife and went back to peeling veggies. Ren smiled smugly at her method of cooking the fish. He sat next to her and whittled a piece of wood while he waited for lunch.

After turning the fish several times, Kyoko called her poor excuse of a lunch done. She was so ashamed of the pitiful meal she had managed to scrape together. Their plates consisted of canned baked beans, jarred pickled plum, raw julienned veggies, and fire-grilled fish. She found some tangerines among the supplies so she squeezed the juice over the fish to give it a citrusy flavor. _If only I had some lemon_. With an "itadakimasu," Ren happily dug into his plate. She held her breath as he took his first bite of the fish. Through a mouthful of food, unbecoming of her senpai, he told her it was delicious. She smiled at his lie. He was always so considerate of her feelings. She vowed to make it up to him at dinner time when she could cook in a proper kitchen with proper spices.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for today was Eat and so they did...XD. Kyoko is slowly making the connections with this playful Ren and her Corn.
> 
> Thank you for continuing to read. I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Until next time, sayonara ^_^


	4. Date: Beyond Imagination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would definitely plan a magical first date for Kyoko.**

Ren licked his fingers clean and smiled at Kyoko. "That was tasty." Kyoko snorted. She had to admit the juices from the tangerine gave it a tangy flavor making it palatable.

Ren took all the dishes and walked it down to the river to wash them. While he was cleaning, Kyoko took the time to really rummage through their supplies. _Why are there so many cans of beans?_

When he returned, she held up two cans towards him and nodded her head to the others behind her.

"Breakfast, lunch, and dinner?" he grinned. "All I have to do is open the can with my trusty swiss army knife, dump it in the pot and I have a nice hot meal."

She glowered at him. He would have definitely lost weight out here if she had not tagged along. He chuckled and doused the fire with dirt. "Let's secure all this stuff in the case."

When they were through packing up, Ren retrieved their shoes by the river. His pair were mostly dry but he changed his socks to a fresh pair. He didn't want to chance getting any blisters while they walked.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked her after he finished lacing his shoes. He stood in front of her and adjusted her crown. It was cute that she continued to wear it.

"Umm, well you see..." She was doing that nervous action where she tapped both of her pointer fingers together. Ren waited for her to continue. She sighed. "It's fine we can just go," she said walking away.

"No, wait. I want to know what's bothering you," he told her grabbing her wrist before she walked away.

Kyoko turned back toward him her face scarlet. "It's nothing, I just really want to get away from the river at the moment."

Ren looked at the river not sure what may have caused her reaction. Perhaps she saw a wild animal, maybe even a bear. He scanned the banks quickly but didn't see anything. He would indulge her for now. They were heading toward the mountain ridge anyway but he couldn't help the river being nearby.

Ren consulted his map before they set off with her hand once again secured in his. So far, neither of them had broached the topic that she started at fairyland any further. Holding hands like this was a nice start. There was no hiding behind roles just Ren and Kyoko facing each other as themselves, so she thought.

"Can you tell me where we are going?" Kyoko asked him while they began to ascend deeper into the forest. She was glad the sound of the river was fading.

"We're going on our first date!" Ren told her looking down at her with a warm smile.

"W- we are?" She sputtered. She would be lying if she said she never dreamed about going on a date with him. Of course in all those scenarios, she never once imagined it as backpacking through the woods. She had envisioned herself in a beautiful dress, him in a well-tailored suit holding a bouquet of red roses, some gourmet dinner and dessert, maybe even some dancing. So far, this date was beyond her wildest dreams. The best part of it all was experiencing firsthand the man behind his well-cultivated public persona.

"We are," he said firmly in response to her question. "I'm sorry it's not more romantic. When we get back to the city, I promise to take you out properly. We can go to din-"

Kyoko shook her head vigorously making him stop in the middle of his sentence.

"Ah, I see. So you don't want to date me," he said solemnly.

"N- no, no! That's not it! So far this day has blown away all my expectations of first dates out of the water. I doubt anyone can top this." She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek to show him how happy she was with everything thus far. She was rewarded with a blushing Ren. She tugged on his arm to continue their trek.

About forty minutes into the hike, the sound of water once again had Kyoko sweating. They were nearing the base of the mountain so the river had to be near again. She couldn't contain herself any longer. She stopped walking yanking back on Ren's arm. "Tsuruga-san..." she said timidly. He turned around. She was sweating profusely and dancing from one foot to the other. Ren had an inkling of what her problem was.

"I can't hold it anymore!" she cried out in mortification. She had been trying to distract herself with the beautiful scenery but nature eventually came beating down her door. "What do I do?" She asked him swinging her head back and forth frantically. She knew she would have to go in the woods, eventually, but it was still so embarrassing.

"Don't panic," he said. "I prepared for this." He took off his bag pack and placed it on the ground. He started to dig through it until he found what he was looking for.

"Do you have to go number 1 or number 2?" he asked her holding up a clear zip bag of supplies and a small trowel.

"What?! Oh my god! This is so embarrassing!"

"Well, you see if you need to...um take a crap! I read that you should dig a hole first so you can bury your excrement...and then seal..." he continued his explanation with a slight blush upon his cheeks.

She let out a scream of anguish sending any furry animals in their vicinity scampering away on the dry leaves. Kyoko snatched the bag of supplies and stomped off into the woods. Her bladder was about to burst. She could hear Ren calling out to her not to go too far off the trail. "Yeah right," she muttered to herself as she stepped deeper into the woods until she couldn't see him anymore. How was she going to face him after this? She ducked behind a bush and pulled down her jeans. It's a good thing she was accustomed to squatting when using the toilet. The Fuwa Ryokan was very traditional and only had a few western toilets for their guests.

She let out a loud sigh of relief as she emptied her bladder. She picked up the supply bag. It was filled with moist towelettes, hand sanitizer, disposable baggies, tissues and more. _He really did his research_, she thought, shaking herself dry. She used the tissues sparingly and placed the soiled ones into one of the baggies to carry out. She didn't want to be the one responsible for ruining this beautiful environment. She stuffed the dirty baggy into her pocket. She would rather die than let Ren see it.

…

Ren was shaking himself dry when he heard Kyoko's blood-curdling scream. He zipped up quickly and darted in the direction he saw her walk off to earlier. It wasn't long before she came crashing through the trees at full speed. "Runnnnnn!" she screamed as soon as she saw him. Something was chasing her. He ran towards her to intercept whatever was after her. He would die protecting her. He found a wild boar was hot on her heels.

The boar stopped when it spotted Ren or more accurately Kuon. Kyoko panted trying to catch her breath a few feet behind Ren. Her grudges instantly sensed the change in him and began circling towards him. Dark Kuon gave off an intimidating aura that caused the animal's survival instincts to kick in. It stood there sizing up its new enemy. It growled and snorted, toeing the ground in front of it.

The boar had to weigh at least 70 kilos. If Ren was to get struck down by its tusks, his little magical adventure would be over before it even began. Without moving his head, he looked around the ground for anything that could serve as a weapon. Ren and Kyoko's attention shifted to the thrashing sounds that were coming from the bushes to their right side. A drove of six piglets came snorting and waddling through the brush without a care of the showdown going on. The boar squealed and charged thinking that its babies were in danger. She was clearly their mama. "Oh shit!" Ren yelped. He pivoted on his foot, picked up Kyoko like a rag doll under his arm and started hauling ass in the opposite direction.

He found a low sturdy branch on one of the trees and practically threw Kyoko on to the limb. He grabbed on to an adjacent branch and easily hoisted himself on to it. They laughed with relief once they were safe. Their laughter died down as the boar rammed at the tree trunk several times, grunting and growling at the base. Kyoko called down to her apologizing and asking for her to stop hurting herself. After a few more head butts, she finally gave up and moved on following her curious litter.

"Oh, I wish I could have taken a picture of the babies. They were so adorable," Kyoko gushed. "Thank you for saving me Tsuruga-san."

Ren nodded and looked at Kyoko sitting cutely across from him. _Ren and Kyoko sitting in a tree... K-I-S-S-I... _came the sing-song voice in his head from his childhood. Ren shook the song out of his mind, even though he really did want to kiss her right now.

"Tsuruga-san...Tsuruga-san didn't you think the babies were cute too?" She asked, her golden eyes flashing excitedly locking with his. He had to agree with her on that one. Any other time, he would have loved to play with them. He had always been fond of animals.

Ren scanned the area below to make sure the boar and her babies were finally gone before hopping down. He reached up for Kyoko. She leaned into his arms, her lithe body sliding down the length of his until her toes touched the earth. Her whole body tingled from the action. She stared up at him, anxiously hoping for something. Still, in his arms, he reached a hand up to caress her cheek. She closed her eyes and puckered her lips. It was all the invitation he needed. He cleared his throat and kissed her forehead. He needed to tell her the truth before he made any moves on her. He pulled away from her, taking her hand in his and led her to where he thought their bags were. She followed him with a frown on her face. Once they retrieved their bags, they were back on the path.

"Mogami-san," he said her name so formally as if deliberately trying to create distance between them. Back in the clearing, he had called her name so intimately that her heart practically stopped. She couldn't understand what was going through his mind.

"Yes, Tsuruga-san?" She replied, keeping her own tone cool.

"Did you try to play with that mama boar's babies?" Kyoko's face turned crimson. She spotted the babies on her way back to Ren after completing her business. They were just so cute. She had to at least pet one. It had been such a great idea until their mama had arrived. Kyoko instantly realized her mistake and took off running her hand clutching the toilet supplies. She didn't want to entertain the idea of cleaning herself with a leaf later.

"They looked so cute. I couldn't help it!" Kyoko admitted biting her lower lip.

"Please don't do that again. Taisho would chop me to bits if you got hurt. Remember, this isn't a Disney cartoon. Wild animals are not friendly nor can they speak."

"I know that!" She said defensively. She wasn't stupid.

His tone softened. "Please be careful next time. I don't want to see you get hurt."

She relaxed and nodded. It was frightening having that boar chase her. She didn't know what she would have done if Ren had not shown up. In this setting, she could imagine herself a Princess lost in the woods and being attacked by creatures of the deep woods. He was just like her knight in shining armor coming to her rescue and slaying the demon. Kyoko giggled internally remembering how they had fled from this particular monster.

During the hike, they saw more animals along the way. Kyoko especially loved seeing the mama deer with her baby. They saw a few rabbits and even a fox. After hiking for another hour the trees started thinning and finally opened to a big open field. The wild grass was almost knee-high on Kyoko.

"Come on," Ren called out tugging on her hand we're almost there. He let go and started running excitedly to show her what he had seen in the magazine. Kyoko laughed at his excitement. He was just like a child sometimes. She seemed to always be chasing him on this trip. She ran after him as fast as her short legs could carry her.

"Hurry up, slowpoke!" he called back to her already halfway across the field. Kyoko stumbled from distraction as she spied some wildflowers still blooming to her left. She wondered if this place was usually covered in flowers and those were just remnants of the previous season. She finally made it to Ren's side and stopped. The view was magnificent. They were overlooking a large lake at the base of the mountain. The water was so serene that the surrounding trees and sky reflected off its surface like a painting.

"Wow! It's so beautiful!" Kyoko whispered. Ren agreed. He sat down a safe distance from the edge and reached up for Kyoko to sit in front of him. She sat down stiffly unsure of what to do. Ren chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind pulling her gently to lean against his chest.

"Thank you for coming with me," he whispered near her ear. His breath tickled making her giggle. They watched in fascination as a hawk swooped down into the water and snatched up a fish. Kyoko could make out flocks of ducks and geese on the water. She wondered why they had not migrated south yet. As the minutes ticked by, Kyoko became more relaxed. She was so relaxed that the soft vibrations of Ren's voice telling her stories of hiking with his father, soon lulled her to sleep. Ren could have stayed like this forever. This trip had become more than he could have ever imagined.

There was so much he needed to tell her. Like a coward, he decided tomorrow was another day. Just for today, he wanted her to continue to look at him, unguarded and vulnerable, like he meant the world to her. Tomorrow, he would be more prepared to face her. He had to be because there was no going any further until he faced her as his true self.

Kyoko woke from her short slumber screaming out Ren's name causing flocks of birds to flee from their perch in the nearby trees. She looked around frantically with eyes unfocused. It took her several moments to determine what was real. Ren whispered soothing words and kissed her head lightly to calm her down. She was still shivering from her nightmare. It had felt so real.

"Hey..." he cooed softly. "I'm here, you're safe." He wasn't sure what had spurred it but he did have experience with horrible dreams. Kyoko clung to him afraid he would disappear. His arms wrapped around her tighter. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked quietly. He felt her shake her head "no" into his chest. She just wanted to forget it.

"I'm so sorry. Was I asleep long?" Kyoko asked trying to hide her embarrassment. How could she have fallen asleep on him like this and on their first date! She was ridiculously hopeless.

"It was more like a power nap, about fifteen minutes. Are you ok to continue? There's one more thing we have to do before heading back." He pulled out his map in front of them. This time Kyoko was able to take a good look at it. Her nightmare forgotten, she asked Ren questions on the places he marked. She pointed to the spot nearest to them marked _lakeside_. He told her he didn't want to ruin the surprise and folded up the map.

Kyoko stood and stretched. Ren did the same thing but let out a few groans in the process. Kyoko turned her head away in shame when she heard a few of his bones crack while he stretched. "I'm so sorry! Because of me you were uncomfortable!" she apologized. Ren assured her that he didn't mind at all.

"Come on, it's this way." He motioned for her to follow him. The trek down was narrow and steep so Kyoko had to follow him. Every now and again he would turn to help Kyoko step through loose terrain. Once they made it to the bottom, Ren took her hand in his again. They walked along the pebbly shore talking naturally about the surroundings. Kyoko's face lit up as several cranes flew passed them and settled onto the surface of the lake. From the shore, the lake was teeming with life. Fish were breaching the surface and dabbling ducks bobbed their heads feeding on whatever was on the surface of the water.

"Look over there," Ren said pointing further down. There were several deer drinking water from the lake. Kyoko excitedly took pictures of them.

Ren steered her towards an area where a dock was hidden in the tall reeds, with a rowboat bobbing in the water. Her eyes went wide as saucers with delight when he climbed into the boat and helped her in.

"When? How?" She asked, unable to articulate a coherent question. She couldn't believe that this was here for their use. He told her that it was something the landowner used.

Once she was seated, Ren removed his jacket and pushed them away from the dock using the oar. The boat easily cut through the reeds and lily pads that grew near the shore. Kyoko unabashedly stared at Ren as he expertly pulled the oars through the water. His arms tensed from the exertion showing off his rippling muscles. He looked too perfect.

Kyoko couldn't help pulling out the camera and taking his picture. He looked just like Prince Eric from Disney's _The Little Mermaid. _She could hear the little red crab's song _Kiss the Girl _running through her head. She turned quickly and started taking pictures of other things on the lake to hide her blush.

Working up the courage, she stunned Ren by sitting on his lap for a selfie. She turned her head to be cutesy like she had seen other girls her age do with their "boyfriends." She wanted to take a picture while kissing his cheek. To her surprise, Ren had the same idea. He turned his face to kiss her cheek just in time for their lips to collide. Both their eyes went wide in surprise. When Kyoko didn't shy away, Ren took control. _So much for waiting until I told her the truth._ He released the oars, wrapped one arm around her waist and buried his other hand in her hair. He tilted their heads to gain better access to her lips. With bridled control, he kissed her softly savoring her sweetness. Kyoko closed her eyes losing herself in his kiss, but not before thinking how much it felt just like Corn's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi everyone! Today's prompt was Date; Therefore, I tried to make our lovebirds go on one as much as they could in the woods. I hope you enjoyed.  
Until next time, sayonara! ^_^


	5. Accountability: Fairy Hunting!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would have divulged his secret to Kyoko already!**

Kyoko blushed the whole way back to the little clearing. She kept sneaking glances at the man beside her. There were just too many coincidences for her to ignore. She was pulled from her reverie when Ren began to set up a tent. _Are we staying out here?_

"Tsu- tsu- tsuruga-san," Kyoko stammered. Ren ignored her. She scowled. He was determined to ignore her until she said it properly. She bit her bottom lip and gave herself a pep talk. _You can do this Kyoko! You've already shared a kiss, possibly two if you count Guam, for crying out loud._ That thought made her face heat up all over again. She'll admit both kisses were unexpected but the one in the boat was a very romantic kiss. Just like Princess Ariel, only Kyoko was lucky enough to succeed in kissing her prince.

She took a deep breath and tried again. "R- Ren-san?" She said almost passing out from the exertion of calling him by his first name. There was still no response from him as he continued to connect the tent poles. "R- Ren?"

This time he magically heard her. He looked up at her with a dazzling smile that could blind even the sun. Kyoko's heart faltered. It wasn't fair for one human being to be so gorgeous.

"Yes, Kyoko?" he said with his sexy baritone voice. Hearing her name roll off his tongue so easily almost gave her a heart attack. She knew it, he was indeed trying to kill her. Kyoko looked at him with an idiotic expression. Her brain had seized to function. She forgot what she wanted to ask him.

He cleared his throat trying to hide his laughter. "Can you please help me with that end…Kyoko?" He asked, emphasizing her name. He was quite aware of what he was doing to her. He couldn't help but want to tease her. Kyoko's brain went on autopilot at the word "help." She took up her position and followed his instructions.

When the tent was erected, he went through the meticulous task of starting the campfire. When the fire was done, he set up the pole again to catch some fish. Kyoko sat and watched him go through the motions of setting up camp for the night.

She was shaken out of her trance when Ren returned with their personal bags from the SUV. It finally hit home for her that they were really sleeping out here for the night.

"Kyoko, do you think you can check the line for any fish?" Ren asked while he carried their stuff to the now very small looking tent. Even as the Heel siblings, they were never in such a confined space. Kyoko was nervous. Now that their feelings were mutual, she wasn't quite sure how to proceed.

Grateful for the excuse to keep busy, Kyoko went down to the river to check on the line. In no time, she had reeled in two good-sized fish for them to eat for dinner. She cleaned them like a pro. Ren had already had a can of beans on the fire and prepared sticks to cook the fish. Their dinner was relatively simple. Like at lunch, Kyoko cut up some fruit and veggies to eat with their meal. By the time they were done cleaning up dinner, the sun was setting. They could do no more in the dark. It would be too dangerous even with flashlights. Ren wasn't willing to risk her safety.

"Kyoko, do you want to wash up in the river? I put your bag in the tent."

"Thank you! I'll do just that," Kyoko told him quickly trying to scramble for something else to do. She headed to the tent to retrieve her things and even found a towel. He had thought of everything. She wasn't sure just how far she should go with washing up but the thought of the sweat and grime on her skin also appalled her. She didn't want Ren to think she smelled terrible.

She walked further down the bank where she was afforded more privacy. Kyoko was torn as she hesitated to unbutton her shirt. She looked over her shoulder and found Ren sitting at the campfire with his back to her. Making up her mind, she undressed quickly down to her undergarments. She screamed internally as she submerged herself in the freezing water. Using the bar of soap he provided, she did a quick wash of her hair and body.

Ren sat by the campfire stroking the logs to keep the flame high so she could warm up quickly. He heard when she entered the water since she cursed the whole time making him chuckle. His imagination went rampant with the noises she was making. Every splash of the water had his libido raging as he imagined the drops caressing her porcelain skin. _Damn lucky water! _He was fighting every nerve in his body not to turn around. He needed a distraction.

He made sure to keep his back towards the river as he rummaged through the supplies and found just what he was looking for. He smiled wondering if she ever had a treat like this. He poured bottled water into the pot for boiling and found the packets of hot chocolate he had requested. He placed the powder into two metal mugs and waited for the water to boil.

Kyoko did a quick sniff of her armpits. Finding them satisfactory, she was out of the water in less than five minutes. With teeth chattering, she dried quickly and dressed in sweats and an oversized sweater. Kyoko trudged up the bank towards the fire and sat next to Ren on a log he was using as a makeshift bench. She held her breath when Ren reached out and fingered a strand of her wet hair. He frowned. He took the towel from around her shoulders and roughly dried her hair.

Watching her shiver, he was second-guessing bringing her out here. He didn't want her to catch a cold. He stood up and went to the tent. He pulled out a thick blanket and wrapped her with it rubbing her arms. "Better?" he asked looking into the orange glow of her eyes. She nodded with a smile.

He couldn't be sure but the fact that they were camping out here seemed to be a surprise to her. He had asked the landowner to provide a tent and another sleeping bag for her use tonight. The air was turning chilly now that the sun had set.

"I'm fine here, go and clean up," she told him. He told her about the cocoa before leaving.

"Make sure your eyes don't accidentally wander towards the river. I can't be held responsible for what you might see," he said with a teasing smirk.

"Wh- what! I wouldn't even dare!" she sputtered at him.

He chuckled, "I don't know, you seemed pretty inclined to barge into Cain's showers quite a bit."

"I was worried that you fell asleep! I didn't want you to drown... though now I wish you did..." she huffed folding her arms. "And to prove my point I will sit inside the tent until you're done!" Ren chuckled when she stepped into the tent and zipped it up behind her.

He stripped down to nothing and stepped into the river. He needed to cool off. The frigid water was just what he needed. He was no stranger to cold showers. It became somewhat routine whenever Kyoko was involved.

Kyoko sat in the tent trying to distract herself from the idea of Ren in the river until she heard a hissing sound. _A __Snake? _She heard it again and thought it sounded familiar. After a few more seconds of listening, she finally placed the sound. It was the noise a boiling pot would make when water overflows and hits the hot stove. _The cocoa water! _She opened the tent to take care of the water before it ruined the fire. She had forgotten the whole reason she was hiding in the tent to begin with. Ren stood with his back to her toweling his very naked body. Kyoko yelped and ducked back into the tent. She could hear Ren's loud laughter. He was enjoying this.

"It's safe to come out now Kyoko," he told her. She refused to come out burrowing herself into the tent further. He heard the hissing sound coming from the fire and saw the water boiling over. This was most likely what made her come out. He poured the hot water into their metal mugs.

"I have some hot chocolate for you and I'll even make you some dessert," he told her trying to coax her out of her cocoon. Kyoko was so simple. He had her at dessert. She came out slowly unable to meet his gaze a permanent blush marring her cheeks. He smiled and handed her the mug. He went about skewering a couple of marshmallows and placed them over the fire to heat up. Kyoko watched his every move as she sipped her hot chocolate. She could feel the warmth seeping back into her bones.

He took two pieces of graham crackers and laid them on the plate with a piece of chocolate bar sitting on one end. When he was satisfied that the marshmallows were heated enough, he placed it on top of the chocolate between the cracker pieces. He then handed the treat over to Kyoko. She took a bite of the sweet sandwich and groaned in delight. It tasted like heaven.

"It's called a **s'more**. Don't ask? I have no idea what it means but it's a popular campfire treat in America," he told her taking a bite of his own little dessert. Kyoko noted his American reference.

"Is this something you ate often with your father while camping?" she asked hoping he would elaborate. He nodded but said nothing more. _Just who exactly are you, Tsuruga Ren?_

When they were done eating they cleaned up the camp and secured all the food and trash. They didn't want any critters surprising them in the middle of the night. After washing up for bed, Ren settled into his sleeping bag by the campfire while Kyoko laid inside the tent. After a few minutes of talking from afar, Kyoko boldly snuggled into Ren's sleeping bag.

They stared up at the starry sky trying to figure out if the orange-hued star was Mars or not. The sky was so clear at night out here in the woods compared to the city. Ren pointed out the more notable constellations like the Big Dipper and Orion. Kyoko squealed when she saw a shooting star. She closed her eyes and quickly made a wish.

Ren turned towards her and smiled. "What did you wish for?"

"Ren, don't you know how wishes work. If I told you then it wouldn't come true."

"Ah, that surely may be the case," he said with disappointment.

"I wished for all your dreams to come true," she said not wanting to see the hurt on his face.

"Really? Then you wasted your wish! You should have made one for yourself."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because being here with you has already made mine all come true."

_Ba-bump! _Kyoko's eyes glistened. "I didn't need to make a wish for myself either."

Ren leaned in and kissed her once more and settled back down. After a while, Kyoko fell asleep in his arms. He lifted her and put her back in the tent. He kissed her softly on the lips and whispered, "I love you, Kyoko." Kyoko smiled in her sleep. He covered her with an extra blanket then closed the tent. He went about making his plans for tomorrow. It was high time he owned up to all his lies and tell her the truth. If she hated him after tomorrow at least he would have today as a beautiful memory.

...

_"Rennn!" she cried out from the passenger seat. Ren whipped his head quickly towards her. His vision was blinded by a bright light. The sound of metal crunching and glass shattering filled his ears. He sat up with a start in his sleeping bag._

_"You're still a chicken aren't ya?!" Startled, Ren turned his head towards the familiar voice he had not heard in almost six years. Rick chuckled sitting on the log by the campfire. "You should tell her before it's too late!"_

Ren sat up gasping for air. Despite the chilly temperature he was drenched in sweat. He looked around the clearing for any signs of another presence. His hot breath let out puffs of smoke in the cool morning air. He jumped when the dying embers of the fire crackled. He stared at the log for several seconds where Rick's apparition had sat in his dreams. He turned to peek into the tent. She was still there safe and sound. He was losing it! He was now having nightmares within his nightmares.

The dream of Kyoko had unsettled him. It was the same one he had while sleeping on the airplane. This, however, was the first time he had ever dreamed of Rick in the present. He shook his head and headed to the woods to do his business. Afterward, he splashed cold water on his face, brushed his teeth and got dressed. He packed his bag and set out leaving her a note. He hoped she wouldn't be angry that he went ahead of her.

...

_Mo! Just how long are you going to sleep? If you're this lazy you're going to get fat. If you don't wake up, I'm going to end this friendship._

Kyoko stirred in her sleep. "Nooooo, Moko, please don't say that!" Kyoko mumbled in her sleep. The chorus of birds chirping woke her up completely. She threw off the covers remembering where she was. She stepped out of the tent only to find Ren's sleeping bag rolled up and stowed. She walked towards the river but didn't see him. She stood for a few moments to listen for him. She heard nothing but the natural surroundings. She looked towards the trees. "Rennnn!" she called out.

Perhaps he was handling his business. Panic started to creep over her. "Rennnnn!" she screamed cupping her hands over her mouth to amplify her voice. She was getting a little more desperate. She stalked to the tent and stopped short when she noticed a bundle of papers being held down with a pocket knife and a compass. She had missed them when she stepped out earlier. She unraveled the paper quickly and read:

_Good morning my Princess, please forgive me for going ahead of you. I did promise you fairy hunting! "X" marks the spot. I'm sure you can do it. I'll be waiting for you however long it takes._

_Love always, Ren_

_Ps. Remember to pack your bag._

_Pps. No cheating! I'll know._

Kyoko sank to her knees. She was so relieved. She swiped at the tears that had fallen freely while thinking he had left her. She unrolled the other sheet. Her eyes widened. It was a kind of treasure map. _Did he draw this?_ She smiled through her tears. He had included key areas such as the river, fairyland, the lake, and the mountain. The map had her going in the opposite direction following the river downstream. He had drawn a quick picture of her by the river and labeled it, "you are here." He was terrible at drawing. He also included ridiculous instructions such as hopping, skipping, and ballerina twirls to get from checkpoint to checkpoint.

Kyoko got ready quickly. She had no clue what time he had left so she didn't want to keep him waiting any longer. She munched on a granola bar as she started her adventure. For today, she didn't care about nutrition. She had packed extra food knowing Ren probably didn't eat a thing before he left. His first instruction was to have her skipping along the river bank until she noticed the first marker. A yellow ribbon tied to a tree branch fluttered in the wind. There was no longer a riverbank to tread upon. The river rapids at this point were stronger.

She followed the map and did a few ballerina twirls towards the woods as instructed. She felt silly and stopped after three spins. _No cheating!..._came Ren's teasing voice echoing through the forest. She heard his laughter when she groaned and continued to twirl. It warmed her heart that he was watching over her. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Just how long had he been watching her? Her face flamed up as she recalled changing by the river after she had washed up. Thank God she had the hindsight to pack matching undergarments. Her eyes darted back and forth hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

Every so often she would come across a yellow ribbon showing her the way. His instructions always depended on the terrain. If it was too rough, he made her take dainty steps. _Seriously, did he do this while I was sleeping?_ After about a half-hour of hiking at an incline, the sound of a thunderous roar began to fill her ears. When Kyoko pushed through the trees a large waterfall loomed before her but that's not what caught her eye. Her eyes were trained on the figure standing at least fifty steps in front of her. She started to run towards him but slowed when the sun glinted off of him making his brown hair appear blonde. She had seen this before at Karuizawa.

"Ren?" she called out confused. Ren turned at the sound of her voice. Kyoko's breath hitched as his eyes locked with hers. The same pair of eyes that have haunted her since she was six years old. She placed her hands over her mouth in shock but continued to walk forward. Everything made sense now, Karuizawa, Guam, yesterday. He had to be Corn.

"I'm sorry, Kyoko-chan!" he said with a sad smile. "I'm not the Fairy Prince you wanted me to be." Ren bent at his knees and leaped backward off the ledge. He soared through the air the sun glinting off of him. His loose shirt gave the illusion of wings. He somersaulted off the edge and disappeared. With that one final act, he finally confirmed to her that he was indeed her Corn.

"Cornnnnnn!" Kyoko screamed rushing to the edge where he had just stood. She looked down at the pool where the waterfall spilled into. It had to be about a four-meter drop from this ledge. He wasn't coming up. Dropping her bag, she didn't think. She took a running start and jumped in after him. The cold water pierced her skin instantly, shocking her. The cold had disoriented her making her body momentarily cease up. She kicked trying to reach the surface. She felt strong arms wrap under her arms and pull her up. She gasped for air once her head came out of the water.

"Are you crazy? What were you thinking of jumping in after me?" he berated her while swimming them towards the rocky edge near the waterfall.

"I'm crazy! What about you?" she shrieked facing him with teeth chattering and eyes blazing. "You weren't coming up you idiot!" she yelled beating her fists against his chest. _How dare he!_

Ren didn't even try to defend himself. He deserved her ire. That and his hands were full with trying to keep them afloat. A sob escaped her and she finally just lost it. The floodgates were released. Between her tears, she used every curse word she knew to describe him and called him every derogatory name in the book in both English and Japanese. When she ran out of words, she threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly, hiccuping into his neck.

"Take responsibility…_hic_... you idiot," she said her voice muffled in his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and turned her face towards his. Their foreheads rested against each other as he kept them above the water. His unsure emerald eyes gazed into her watery golden orbs.

"I'm sorry Kyoko. I'm damaged...I'm not the boy you used to kno-" his words were cut off by her kiss. She tightened her arms around his neck and kissed him with all her heart. Of course, he wasn't the boy she used to know. He had grown into a fine man with beautiful wings. Corn wasted no time kissing her back. They sunk into the water with mouths still attached.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I endlessly wish that their first kiss will be initiated by Kyoko to silence whatever long winded explanation he had in store for her. The prompt for today was accountability, I fear I barely skirted by XD. I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Until next time, sayonara! ^_^


	6. Friends: Only You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would let Yashiro in on his little secret.

"Does Yashiro-san know?" Kyoko asked staring into the anxious green eyes of her Fairy Prince lying a few feet away from her. She kept her eyes trained on his face, a permanent blush marring her cheeks. They were basking in the sun after their cold and emotional dip in the waterfall's pool. Corn had stripped down to his boxers and laid out his clothes to dry. Thankfully, he had an extra shirt in his bag that he lent to Kyoko. His long-sleeve shirt covered more than some of Setsuka's outfits and yet Kyoko felt so exposed right now.

Corn shook his head as he stoked the fire that currently separated them before answering. "Yashiro-san doesn't know." He had expected her to be angrier with him. He was surprised that she was questioning him so calmly. Granted, she had seemed to get it all out of her system while they were in the water. He had the red welts to prove it.

"Muse-sama?"

Corn shook his head no again. "She doesn't know the details really… only that I'm.."

"American?!" she said interrupting. Corn nodded back at her assessing her reaction to the news. She didn't seem at all surprised. She was having a hard time thinking of him as Ren now that she confirmed he was her childhood friend.

"Can you tell me your real name?" she said turning her body towards him to give him her undivided attention.

He gulped deeply, his eyes boring into hers. "My name is Kuon, Hizuri Kuon." Kyoko rolled his first name around her tongue. So she had mispronounced it when she was younger.

She suddenly sat up in bewilderment when she thought about his last name, "Kuu-sama?!"

Kuon's face filled with shame and nodded. He couldn't look her in the eye.

"Does he know you're, you?" Kyoko asked recalling their run-in at LME. They had acted like they didn't know each other.

"He knows," Kuon said softly.

Kyoko's eyes glossed over thinking about the amazing acting of both father and son. They had managed to fool her and Yashiro into thinking they were meeting for the first time.

"I had not seen nor talked to him in over five years since I came to Japan until that visit."

"I don't understand?" She asked with a confused expression. In the short time she spent with Kuu, she concluded that he really loved his son, really loved _him_. Then she remembered the sad expression on Kuu's face when he told her about his memories of his fifteen year old son. Something bad must have caused their falling out.

"I told you right? Do you remember what I said about my father when we were kids?"

"You said his hands were too large for you to escape."

"I love my father. He's my hero. I wanted to be an actor just like him. Everyone expected great things from me just because I was his son. When I didn't meet their expectations, I was bullied for my heritage and for not living up to my name on set and at school. I quit acting but that didn't stop anything. The bullying continued."

Several seconds ticked by before he spoke up again. "My best and only friend Rick, the owner of this watch, told me to stand up for myself and fight back." He lifted his left arm to show her the familiar broken watch only this time the hands were moving. "I had the skill but my father taught me to never use my training for violence."

"I finally got fed up with being treated like shit. I began to fight back. At first, it was out of self-defense but soon I began to enjoy the bloodlust. I started going out looking for fights. The worse odds against me the better. One night, when I was fifteen..." Kuon trailed off as he stared into the flames recalling that fateful night when everything went horribly wrong. "Rick tried to stop me from fighting. He was hit by a car trying to stop me. He died on impact...there was so much blood."

Kuon let out a shallow breath as he rubbed at the ache in his chest his tears spilling freely from his eyes. He had never talked about that night to anyone, not his parents nor the many therapists they sent him to. "I blamed myself for his death. I still do," he said glancing up briefly to meet her eyes then back down to his hands in his lap. "I was in a bad place then. My Dad was desperate. He called the President for help. With just my passport in hand, I left my old life behind. Tsuruga Ren was born. I convinced myself I didn't deserve any kind of happiness in my life but that all changed when I met you again. I couldn't resist you."

Kyoko swiped at her tears. No longer caring that he was practically naked, she knelt in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. He had experienced a lot of pain when he was younger. She remembered the remarks Beagle had made when he touched the corn stone. She knew there were a lot of details he was leaving out but they had time for that should he want to share. He had suffered so much and still managed to make a little girl happy.

"I love you Kuon," she told him and gently kissed his tears away. He laughed happily, sniffing and wiping his nose. He liked hearing her say his name. Even after all the lies, she still found room in her heart to love him. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. They stayed like that for what felt like hours but in reality, only minutes had passed.

"So enough about me, any deep, dark secrets you want to get off your chest?" he asked trying to make light of the situation.

Kyoko pulled back from him gnawing on her bottom lip nervously. Her expression worried Kuon. It was meant as a joke but evidently she had something serious to tell him. "I'm Bo," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't really hear."

"I'm Bo," she confessed a little louder. It was Kuon's turn to look at her in surprise. He was not expecting her to have such a huge secret. She bowed her head fearful that the Demon Lord would punish her.

Kuon laughed heartily, "So all this time, you knew that I was in love with you."

"Actually, I had hoped but I wasn't sure until yesterday."

Kuon couldn't believe her. Just how many girls did she think he strung along considering the things he divulged to his chicken friend? It was all the things he had ever done with only her. How could she have not put two and two together? It would have saved them both a lot of time.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you everything when I returned from Guam…but things happened...I was a jealous coward," he admitted solemnly.

Kyoko nodded in understanding recalling their fight. It had spanned days because of so many misunderstandings. She never wanted to experience that with him again. She knew there would be more disagreements between them in the future. She vowed to herself never to run again and face him head-on.

Kuon looked her straight in the eye so she would no longer have any doubts. He cupped each side of her face with his hands, "I love you Mogami, Kyoko. I'm in love with you. It has always only ever been you."

* * *

"Kotonami-san, I'm glad you could make it. Is your schedule in America ok?" Yashiro said greeting her with a bow. Kanae returned his bow and greeted the others that gathered.

"Mo, of course, I'm her best friend. I couldn't miss out on this happy occasion. Thank you, by the way, for the phone call."

"It was no problem. I figured she would want to hear from you," Yashiro told her. "I think the President has planned something big for their return."

"I would be surprised if he didn't. He is a crazy Love Mon after all! He'll probably take all the credit too."

"It's almost time. I feel like I've aged ten years waiting for this moment," Yashiro said his inner fangirl squealing.

Kanae smiled nervously. She hoped everything would go well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi everyone. The prompt for today was Friends, so I ugh um included their friends…XD. I hope you enjoyed.
> 
> Until next time, sayonara! ^_^


	7. Fate: Some Sort of Miracle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, we would definitely see the Hizuris again.

Kyoko grimaced then let out a low moan. Her head felt foggy and her body ached. She felt something warm and heavy in her left hand. Kyoko's eyes fluttered open then closed. She smiled when she glimpsed the large hand holding hers. She turned on her side to face him directly and opened her eyes. She lifted her free hand to caress his cheek. He looked tired. His normally vibrant green eyes were bloodshot and full of worry. Kyoko frowned as she fingered a spot on his face. _Where did this cut come from?_ He had dark shadows beneath his eyes and slight bruising on the side of his face.

"Good morning my Princess," he whispered turning his head to place a tender kiss on the inside of her palm.

"Good morning Corn," she whispered back smiling shyly. He smiled at her, relief and happiness evident in his tired eyes.

"Mo! What the hell is with this love play? I want to gag right now!" Kanae exclaimed.

"Moko-san?" Kyoko said aloud and turned toward the voice. She yelped in surprise after discovering that they had a whole audience. Yashiro, Lory, her mother, Kuu, and the most beautiful green-eyed blonde woman she had ever seen was standing at the other end of the large room. Their eyes shone bright with tears.

Her friend practically tackled her in a bear hug making Kyoko cry out in pain. "I'm so sorry," Kanae said pulling back and dashing at the tears that slid from her eyes. "I'm just so happy you're finally awake now."

"What's going on? Mom? Dad? Why are you all here? Why are we here?" Kuon asked looking extremely uncomfortable. His parents moved to his side of the bed. His mother sat down in the seat next to him and reached for his other hand. His dad looked like he had aged ten years since he had last seen him. His mother was as beautiful as he remembered, even with her red puffy eyes.

"Oh, my baby! Please don't be mad. We were just so worried, we had to come. I'm so happy you're ok." Julie cooed in fluent Japanese kissing the back of his hand. Her large green eyes sprouted fresh tears further amplifying her beauty. "Both of you!" she added smiling at Kyoko through her tears. "I'm so happy to finally meet you Kyoko-chan. I wish it was under different circumstances but so happy none the less."

Kyoko nodded awestruck by the woman she had just dubbed the Queen of all Fairies. Kyoko wondered briefly how she managed to cry so beautifully. If it was her, her face would be all scrunched up and blotchy with snot running into her mouth. The Gods were too cruel.

Kuon squeezed her hand. Kyoko looked at him carefully this time. She finally noticed that half his head had been shaved and was covered by gauze. She reached up with the hand that was being held by him and stared at the foreign tubing protruding out of her wrist. How had she not noticed that earlier? She touched her head and found that the back had been shaved as well. She tentatively fingered the bandage on the base of her head. _What exactly happened to them?_

She looked around the room. It was a large and luxurious room, furnished in leather and dark woods. Almost every surface in the room was covered with flowers, stuffed animals, and many other gifts. To her right sat several machines on a cart similar to the one on Kuon's side. She didn't realize it yet but behind every well-crafted cabinet in the room, rested the typical hospital equipment and supplies necessary for all patients.

The couple looked thoroughly confused. "What do you both remember?" Kuu posed the question. Everyone looked at them anxiously. They were all relieved that they didn't appear to be suffering from amnesia at the moment. That was one of several most likely issues the doctor had prepared them to anticipate.

Kyoko and Kuon exchanged glances with each other and blushed bright red. They both spoke in unison, "the waterfall."

Everyone in the room gasped in surprise. Concern flashed across their eyes. Saena took the seat next to Kyoko's side of the bed and held her hand. She was still quite awkward but she had worried over her daughter's well-being these past weeks.

"You two were in a terrible accident. A drunk driver ran a red light and plowed right into the passenger side of Ren's car," Lory explained grimly. "You have been in an induced coma for the past two weeks. The doctor did a scan on you two days ago and found the swelling in your brain had drastically reduced. He scheduled today to take you off the medication deeming that if there was a further reduction, it would be safe to try to wake you both up. It gave Kotonami-kun time to be by your side Mogami-kun. Kuon, I called your parents the moment I heard about the accident. They've been here for the past two weeks."

Kuon and Kyoko's face scrunched up in confusion again. He had stopped in time for that van, didn't he? In the midst of not wanting to sound crazy neither voiced their thoughts. Their friends and family were already scrutinizing them as it was. They didn't want to add to their worry just yet.

Kuon looked at his parents, "Thank you, for coming. I know you probably missed a lot of work becau-...Ow!" Kuon exclaimed rubbing his forehead. Kuu had flicked him on the head.

"You're not being cute right now! Your well-being is more important to us than any job! Don't ever think otherwise," Kuu warned. Kuon nodded still holding his forehead. It really stung.

Yashiro who had remained silent in the back finally came forward. He looked tired. His usually impeccable suit was rumpled as if he had slept in it. He bowed deeply to the couple.

"Ren…err Kuon-san, Kyoko-chan because of me this happened to you guys. If only I had taken Kyoko-chan home properly that night this would have never happened," he said talking to the floor.

"Yashiro-san?" Yashiro looked up at the call of his name. Kuon smiled brightly imitating one of Ren's gentlemanly smile. "Are you implying that it should be you lying here next to Kyoko?"

Yashiro squeaked in fear, "That's not what I meant! Please forgive me! It's just that…"

Kyoko lightly smacked Kuon who feigned injury as a result. Everyone observed the change in both of them. There was a comfortable closeness that hadn't been there before. They determined that some sort of miracle transpired while they were sleeping. It was all thanks to Lory's foresight to have them room together. The eccentric Love Mon had decided that it was high time he directly meddled with these two. He insisted that the power of their love would heal them quicker. He was the only one that knew these two blockheads shared a mutual love for each other.

"Yashiro-san, please don't blame yourself for this. It was a terrible accident. Fate would have found a way," Kyoko told him. She was still a bit confused about the whole thing since her memory spanned barely two days of playing in the woods with Kuon. She remembered the occasional odd dreams she had whenever she fell asleep. Was that reality pushing through her subconscious?

…

Aside from the major head trauma, Kyoko only suffered some gashes that required stitching and some bruising on her right side. Kuon, unfortunately, also suffered a broken rib. The doctor did a quick check-up on the couple and gave them the ok to take a bath. He told them that they could probably be discharged in two days. He wanted to keep them at the hospital under close observation. With that bit of news, Lory popped champagne. Ruto handed a flute to everyone but Kuon and Kyoko. They sipped water as a toast was made to a quick recovery and congratulations on their new relationship.

With the aid of Kanae, Kyoko was able to take a bath. Kyoko was surprised to see tears shining in Kanae's eyes once she helped her friend disrobe. The right side of her body from her hip down showed signs of fading bruises and healed cuts. Kanae helped her climb into the bath and left her alone with the door ajar. Kyoko groaned in pleasure. It felt heavenly to her muscles to soak in the nice hot water. She laid her head back and closed her eyes. A small smile played on her lips as visions of their river baths played through her mind. It had all been a dream but could two people really have the exact same dream. With a blush, she wondered if the lower half of his naked body really looked like that.

After they finished cleaning up and donned fresh hospital robes, the couple provided Lory with a combined statement to release to the press. They watched in horror from the window of their hospital room as Lory exited the hospital. True to his usual pizzazz, their eccentric President had discarded his somber suit and stepped out of the hospital in full costume.

He wore snug white trousers, embellished with a gold stripe on each side of the leg, tucked into knee-high black boots, a long sleeve jacket with white on the bodice and purple sleeves. Large gold buttons adorned the bodice in two rows. To finish off the look, he had a tall white hat on his head secured with a chin strap and a twelve-inch purple plume sticking out of the top. They heard rather than saw the whistle nestled in his mouth. With high knees, his left hand on his hip and his right hand swinging up and down clasping a baton, he marched out of the hospital with a full marching band behind him.

Lory was obviously the bandleader. He had girls dancing around him holding flags with both Ren and Kyoko's faces on them. They did a loop around the front of the hospital grounds bringing joy to all the patients. He settled himself at the podium that was set up on the top of the steps for him to address the media and fans that have been staking out the hospital.

Kuu turned on the television in their room. He flipped through the channels until he found the news broadcast going on outside.

_It is my sincere pleasure to inform all of you that Ren and Kyoko-san have woken up a few hours ago and are recovering nicely. They asked me to give a brief statement:_

_'To our family, friends, and fans, we thank each and every one of you for your heartfelt prayers and gifts. We have no doubt that you all had a hand in our quick recovery._

_To the many first responders, doctors, nurses and more that aided us, our deepest thanks for saving our lives. You are our heroes. We truly appreciate all that you do for our community! We are forever in your debt.'_

_They are still recovering and would like to ask that you continue to respect their privacy. There will be ample opportunity in the future to interview them. Thank you, everyone!_

News of their recovery spread through the industry like wildfire thanks to Lory's display. Their friends and family fielded phone calls and turned away visitors. The Darumaya couple was permitted to pay them a visit. It was the first time Kyoko had ever seen Taisho with tears in his eyes.

Kuon and Kyoko were spending time with the Hizuri's before visiting hours were over when a soft knock sounded on the door. They all looked at each other with raised eyebrows. It was this last visitor that brought the young couple so much joy.

"Onee-sama, Ren-sama!" Maria cried as she tore into the room. She was all lace and curls, as soon as Kuu opened the door. She pounced on the couple's makeshift bed right between them hugging them both. "I'm so happy you're both finally awake," she wailed. "I was so scared you would leave Maria too!" She hugged tight to Kyoko, her little body trembling with relief. Kuon rubbed the little girl's back as she cried to her heart's content.

When she was all cried out the little girl pulled herself up and smiled radiantly. "I used all my magical items and prayed to all the life deities so you would both wake up."

Kyoko exchanged glances with Kuon, maybe Maria had something to do with what happened to them. Either way, the fact that they both had the same vivid dream could not be ignored. Kuon was now a believer in divine intervention.

* * *

_Japanese throughout the nation are rejoicing! LME President has made an official statement this morning and followed it up with a social media post that our favorite couple had awakened from their coma this morning. The up and coming actress Kyoko-san, who starred in the notable roles such as Hongo, Mio in Dark Moon and most recently as Momiji in The Sacred Lotus of the Mire, and Japan's top actor Tsuruga, Ren who we have just found out is the only son of Japan's hero Hizuri Kuu and fashion mogul and supermodel Julienna were involved in a horrific accident over two weeks ago. The pair had been in a coma ever since that fateful day._

_The easily recognizable silver import was struck after a drunk driver in a moving van ran a red light and collided with the vehicle carrying Tsuruga-san and Kyoko-san. Given the damage to the vehicle, first responders were skeptical that anyone could have survived the crash. Witnesses claim that the impact from the van was so profound that it caused the sports car to flip several times eventually resting on its top. Firefighters had to use the 'jaws of life' to cut open the vehicle. Rescuers on the scene reported that Tsuruga-san had protected Kyoko-san from possible death. The actress was found wrapped up, protectively, in the actor's embrace but both were unconscious._

_This picture was released of the couple later this afternoon by LME. It shows the pair smiling into the camera both holding up a curled hand to the other making a heart. As you can see, Tsuruga-san's natural eye color is green which blew our minds. You can't make out Kyoko-san's injury but you can slightly see the bandage on the right side of Tsuruga-san's head. Both had suffered severe head trauma and had to undergo emergency surgery. It's good to see proof of their recovery._

_This next picture was found posted on Hizuri, Kuu's social media page. Here we have the young couple in the middle with Hizuri–san and his wife posing on either end. The caption on the picture read 'It's good to have my family all together again!' That statement was not lost on us. Will there be wedding bells in the near future? LME and Hizuri camp have confirmed that Tsuruga Ren is indeed their son Hizuri Kuon._

_That's all our time folks but I'm sure that everyone, myself included, is looking forward to seeing these two back in action._

Kuon used his free hand to click the power button on the remote then kissed the crown of the girl in his arms. It was still a little disturbing to know that their time spent in the woods never happened.

"Corn, do you think it really was just a dream?"

"Even if it was, I'm glad I got to experience it with you. I had a lot of fun."

Kyoko smiled warmly at him, "me too."

"So what do you want to do when we get the all-clear from the doc?"

"I hear it's fairy season in Hokkaido," she said with a teasing smile. Kuon chuckled.

"I already know the perfect spots." He said leaning over her. He brushed his lips gently over hers before claiming her mouth completely. She tasted even sweeter than his dreams.

"I'll see you in my dreams, Princess," he told her giving her a final peck on the lips. Kyoko giggled, it would be their inside joke for the rest of their lives.

** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!


	8. Bonus: Deja Vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, KyoKu would definitely go on holiday together!

She was not going to miss this. With her red heels clutched in one hand and the other holding her bag straps, she crouched low like a panther and dashed. She was a blur running through the crowd until she heard her name.

"Kyoko! Over here!" she heard a familiar male voice call out. She slowed her steps, her Momiji spirit leaving her as she spotted the source of the voice.

"Here she comes," he told the woman standing at the podium. Kyoko approached the pair, sweating and panting. She had made it.

"I'm so sorry for the trouble," she said bowing profusely. She could see all the cell phone cameras of nearby passengers taking their pictures. _God, I hope I don't look too ragged next to him,_ she thought, trying to covertly slip her shoes back on.

"Do you have your ticket," he asked her. She nodded and handed it to him.

"Thank you very much Miss. I truly appreciate all your help," he told the ticket lady flashing her a genuine smile.

"It was my pleasure Hizuri-san," she purred. "Enjoy your trip."

Kyoko's grudges swirled around her ready to attack this woman. How dare this woman flirt with her man right in front of her?

"Come on sweetie. They held the flight a few minutes to wait for you," Kuon told her grabbing her hand and her larger bag.

When they entered the plane, there were a lot of grim expressions. The passengers were quite annoyed that their flight had been held up on what the captain told them was a faulty sensor light. Their mood shifted as Kuon and Kyoko stepped on to the plane. Eyes and cameras followed the celebrity couple while they made their way to the very last row in the economy section bypassing a few of the empty seats in first class. The airline had tried to bump them up several times but Kuon was adamant to sit right across the lavatory. This time he knew exactly how to fold himself into the seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking. Our mechanical team has found the source of the problem and corrected the issue. We are now ready for take-off. We will reach our destination in under two hours."

Kuon laced his fingers with Kyoko's as the aircraft pushed back from the gate. He placed a small kiss on the back of her hand. Kyoko giggled and leaned in to kiss her boyfriend. They were finally getting the chance to go back since the accident. It took a lot longer for Kuon's injuries to heal and after that their schedules exploded. They were so busy with work that they couldn't find the right time to go.

Now that the snow had thawed and things have settled down, they were flying to fulfill their dreams. It was as if fate had been so impatient with their lack of progress that she literally intervened in their lives.

Meanwhile, Kyoko was now eighteen and still living at the Darumaya. They revealed their relationship during a press conference after the accident. It was no surprise to the media or the public that the Senpai and Kohai were now officially a couple. They had all accepted it a long time ago. They were just waiting for the pair to realize it themselves.

In the short months that past, Kyoko's popularity grew tenfold. The more negative media outlets tried to attribute her rise due to her relationship with Kuon and the Hizuris. They were soon shut down by her ability to produce amazing results on set. Japan had embraced Kuon the same way they had embraced Tsuruga Ren. With the help of a discrete therapist, Kyoko, family, and friends, he was making great progress with accepting his past.

...

Kyoko let out a squeal as she inhaled the fresh spring air. The forest was lush, with vibrant hues of green and blooming flowers everywhere. It was all still familiar as she took in the little clearing by the river. She looked over at Kuon. His blonde hair glinted off the sunlight and his green eyes took on a deeper shade thanks to the surrounding trees. He really was her fairy prince.

His expression of awe reflected hers. It had all been real. She threw her arms around him as he spun her around. Their laughter echoed off the trees. It was just like magic.

"Come on," he said pulling her after him. They ran down the bank of the river and found the familiar path. They were too excited to notice anything else as they rushed passed; startling rabbits, deer, birds and loads of other creatures. They stopped when they made it to the clearing but it wasn't as they remembered.

The pink flowers that once occupied the little glade were replaced with wildflowers of blues, violets, and whites. It was still just as breathtaking.

"Well, let's do this right," Kuon said with a boyish grin. He swept Kyoko in his arms and carefully stepped to the grassy center of the flowers. Kyoko couldn't help raining his face with kisses.

"Hey, hey you little imp! That's distracting," he said chuckling trying to step gingerly around the flowers. Once they made it to the middle, he did the same twirl until they went crashing to the ground in laughter. Kuon rolled to lean over her and propped himself up on his elbow. His emerald eyes were alight with laughter. It was so good to see his carefree face. The shadows of his past were slowly fading.

"It still feels like I'm dreaming," he whispered, his lips hovering over hers. "Ow!" He said sitting up quickly and rubbing his arm. "Did you just pinch me?"

Kyoko looked at him with big doe amber eyes so full of innocence, "Perhaps you might have been stung by a bee? There's so many," she told him waving towards the flowers that had little honey bees gathering nectar and pollen to bring back to their colony.

"Why you?!" he reached out for her and started tickling her. Kyoko's peals of laughter rang out throughout the woods as Kuon showed her no mercy.

"I give! I give!" She screeched gasping for air. Tears were running down her eyes from laughing too hard.

"You know how to end this!" Kuon warned her not letting up.

"Oh great... and powerful...Prince of all Fae," Kyoko gasped out between laughter. She scrunched up her face pretending she didn't remember what she needed to say. He had paused in tickling her while she spoke.

"Please... forgive..." he supplied to help her remember.

"Please forgive your one and only Princess for..."

"For...?" he said, resuming her punishment.

"For... making you look like a dork," she said with a final giggle.

"Serves you right for ruining my moment," he said stopping his tickle torture. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up to kiss him. She parted her lips and touched her tongue against his deepening the kiss. Kyoko's hands started to roam restlessly underneath his shirt making Kuon groan. He stayed her hands and sat up. It would be difficult keeping his hands off of her while they were all alone in the middle of nowhere.

Kyoko let out an exasperated breath. He always stopped them from going any further. She thought this was the perfect setting. Ever since her eighteenth birthday, Kyoko had been eagerly awaiting for their relationship to become more physical. Was she just physically unattractive? That couldn't be it. She felt his need whenever they made out but before they could progress, he would send her back home.

Kuon tried to ignore her frustrations. He knew she was ready and willing. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out either. He wanted to do things right with her. He wanted her to feel that she was cherished and loved by him.

He focused on the flowers around him. What was he waiting for? Ther perfect moment? They almost died for heaven's sake. Kyoko actually did. Kuon berated himself when Lory told them how her heart stopped beating for several seconds. The doctors couldn't find the source of her heart failure. Life was too short! He knew he would lose to his feelings sooner rather than later. He might as well do what he came here to do now. He gathered a couple of the dark blue flowers nearest to him that had the same hue as the corn stone and began to work.

Kyoko smiled. She thought her boyfriend was so pure. He was trying to imprint real memories of the place that had changed their lives forever. She hugged him from behind and placed her chin over his shoulder to watch him work. It didn't take him long to finish.

"For you, my Princess," he told her placing the ring on her right pinky finger and kissing her hand. Kyoko's heart went _doki doki _and a small shiver ran down her spine. This time there were no negative feelings associated with this ring just an overwhelming onslaught of emotion. She felt the tears prick the corner of her eyes. Kuon cupped her face in his hands and used his thumbs to swipe at her tears. He pressed a soft kiss upon her lips.

"I love you Mogami, Kyoko. I'm in love with you. It has always only ever been you."

Those were the exact words he had said to her while they were dreaming. He wasn't finished. "You've accepted my flaws and all. I was frozen in the past. I was certain that I didn't deserve a shred of happiness in this life. But then I met you. You came into my life like a typhoon and shattered my perfectly sculpted facade. You became my hope, my light in the dark. I can't imagine my life without you in it."

Kuon raised himself on one knee and pulled out a somewhat flat yet rectangular box from his jacket pocket. Kyoko covered her mouth with both hands fresh tears springing to her eyes. His words were so beautiful. The box size confused her so she wasn't quite sure what was in it.

Kuon opened the box towards her. A beautifully crafted blue rose unfolded and popped up out of the box. At the center of the rose stood a large pink pear-cut diamond ring. Kyoko thought she was going to faint. She was glad she was already seated otherwise she would have fallen to the ground. Glinting off the sun, _Queen Rosa, _shined brilliantly up at her.

"Kyoko, my Princess, my Heart. Will you do me the honor of making me the luckiest man on earth and be my wife?" Kuon asked her with all the love he felt in his heart shining through his emerald eyes. He knew they were young but he didn't want to waste another moment of their lives apart.

"Yes!" She barely managed to choke out, throwing her arms around his neck. She was saying yes to him, yes to love, yes to their happily ever after.

_Omake:_

The hike to the waterfall took longer than anticipated since it was in the opposite direction of the glade. Kyoko could almost see a ghost of herself executing the ridiculous instructions her dream Corn had given her to find him. The forest was a lot denser in the spring making it difficult to navigate through the woods.

Kyoko was giddy as the roar of the waterfall filled her ears before becoming visible. Now that she wasn't focused on finding the love of her life, she stepped to the very same ledge where she met Corn again in her dreams. The waterfall had to be about six meters tall. She shivered as the wind carried the mist of the falls in her direction. It was actually refreshing on her heated skin.

"What are you doing?" Kuon asked from behind Kyoko. He watched as his fiancée pulled off her T-shirt and threw it to the ground. Next, she yanked off her boots and socks. Kuon's mouth went dry as she shimmied out of the jeans that were like a second skin on her. With her back to him, she tossed her bra up and behind her. Kuon followed the dark lace garment as it soared through the air and landed near his feet. Kyoko's giggle caught his attention. She threw a teasing smirk over her shoulder and plunged into the blue pool below.

Kuon's last thread of resolve snapped as he hastily threw off his clothes to join his lady love in the waterfall's pool. They would pass the rest of their little holiday making love as nature intended.

** _The End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added this chapter after the challenge was over. I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Thanks for reading, sayonara ^_^


End file.
